Amad Diallo was the undisputed star of Manchester United’s 3-1 win over Southampton on Thursday night.
United were a goal down and heading for an embarrassing defeat when the 22-year-old Ivorian took matters into his own hands and scored a 12-minute hat-trick.
Amad dominated the spotlight thanks to a couple of very sharp finishes and a gift from Southampton, netting three times to spare the Red Devils’ blushes after an unimpressive performance at Old Trafford.
What did Joshua Zirkzee do to risk a ban?
But it was Joshua Zirkzee, who’s enjoyed an uptick in fortunes over the last week or so and scored the winning penalty in United’s shoot-out win over Arsenal in the FA Cup Third Round last Sunday, whose celebration might attract the ire of the authorities.
The 23-year-old was seen to grab his crotch in delight, a gesture that’s historically fallen foul of football’s disciplinary decision makers.
‘Celebration of a goal’ is regulated by the Laws of the Game under Law 12, Section 3: Disciplinary action.
Zirkzee’s Michael Jackson impersonation can’t be deemed excessively choreographed or likely to cause excessive time-wasting.
But the Laws of the Game also state that “Law 12…requires the referee to take action” against a player who is guilty of “using offensive, insulting or abusive language and/or action(s)” or “acting in a provocative, derisory or inflammatory way.”
Should the Dutch forward be investigated and found to have grabbed his crotch, disciplinary action could be possible on either basis.
While there’s no definitive outcome defined in law nor any confirmation that Zirkzee will face any kind of sanction, football has a long and proud tradition of crotch-grabbing celebrations from which to assume a precedent.
Jude Bellingham’s beautiful overhead kick five minutes into stoppage time against Slovakia at the European Championship last summer was a goal and a moment worth celebrating.
But the England and Real Madrid midfielder was fined £25,400 and handed a suspended one-match ban for his unwelcome genital gesture in Gelsenkirchen.
Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was banned for two international fixtures last year after holding a replica Copa America trophy to his crotch, the most offensive thing a goalkeeper has done with a trophy since Martinez himself defiled the World Cup Golden Glove in 2022.
United’s win over Southampton was their first in five in the Premier League. They’ll be back in action on Sunday, when Brighton & Hove Albion visit Old Trafford.
A trip to Fulham follows seven days later and is likely to be the game in question should any disciplinary action be dealt to Zirkzee.
